What are the symptoms of emphysema?
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Emphysema is a chronic lung condition that affects millions of people worldwide and can make everyday activities such as walking, talking, and even breathing, feel like a challenge. Whether you’re living with emphysema or want to learn how to protect your lungs, understanding the condition is key to managing symptoms and living well.
What is emphysema?. “Emphysema is part of a group of lung conditions which comes under the umbrella term chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and also includes chronic bronchitis,” explains Rubach. “Emphysema makes it hard to breathe air out of your lungs as it affects the tiny air sacs at the end of the airways where oxygen is taken up into the bloodstream.
“The walls of these air sacs become weak, and the lungs become baggy and full of bigger holes. This traps air and makes it harder to breathe.”. How common is it?Despite being a common disease, many people are unaware of exactly what it is. “COPD affects 1.7 million people in this country, although around 600,000 are believed to be living with the condition but don’t have a diagnosis,” says Rubach. “Lung disease is the third biggest cause of death in the UK, and every year up to 30,000 people die from COPD.
“Although COPD is a relatively common disease, public awareness is limited. In a online survey by Asthma + Lung UK [which ran from January to March 2023 and received 14, 460 responses], 44 per cent of respondents admitted they hadn’t heard of COPD until they received their diagnosis.
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